Dezeen » Rick Mather Architectshttp://www.dezeen.com
architecture and design magazineTue, 03 Mar 2015 18:51:02 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1Work starts on public plaza beneath Richard Seifert's Centre Pointhttp://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/27/public-plaza-beneath-richard-seifert-centre-point-rick-mather-architects-conran-partners/
http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/27/public-plaza-beneath-richard-seifert-centre-point-rick-mather-architects-conran-partners/#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 17:29:43 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=636171News: construction is now under way on a public square underneath Richard Seifert's iconic Centre Point tower in London, as part of a major redevelopment by Rick Mather Architects and Conran & Partners (+ movie). Described by the designers as "the key piece in the jigsaw", the new pedestrian plaza will surround the base of the 117-metre-high […]

]]>News: construction is now under way on a public square underneath Richard Seifert's iconic Centre Point tower in London, as part of a major redevelopment by Rick Mather Architects and Conran & Partners (+ movie).

Described by the designers as "the key piece in the jigsaw", the new pedestrian plaza will surround the base of the 117-metre-high building that was completed by influential British architect Seifert in 1966, at the junction between Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.

The square will be surrounded by shops and cafes, and will also integrate an entrance to Tottenham Court Road station, which has been undergoing a major redevelopment as part of the new Crossrail train network.

"It's the key piece in the jigsaw: a major new square for central London, a destination at the eastern end of Oxford Street and with improved connections to Covent Garden, The British Museum, Tottenham Court and Charing Cross Roads," said Gavin Miller of Rick Mather Architects, who is leading the design team.

"Given its size and presence, Centre Point is the natural focal point of the new square, and we have worked carefully with the building to address this new public space."

The building, one of London's first skyscrapers, was designed by Seifert for property tycoon Harry Hyams. Its distinctive modular facade comprises segments of precast concrete that were produced using crushed Portland Stone.

"Our task has been to marry the spirit of the building, with the equally vibrant and creative spirit of London today," added Tim Bower-Ridger of Conran & Partners.

"By addressing the way the tower meets the ground, it will now be able to fully engage with its context within the cultural heart of this world city."

Led by developer Almacantar, the project involves a full refurbishment of the Grade II listed Centre Point tower, creating 82 apartments and 13 affordable homes, alongside pool, spa and fitness facilities.

The development takes places in close partnership with the £1 billion transformation of Tottenham Court Road Station – a scheme that has proved controversial as it involved the demolition of buildings on Dean Street, Diadem Court, Great Chapel Street and Oxford Street.

Soho music venue the Astoria has already been razed, while campaign groups from St Giles Church and conservation groups the 20th Century Society and the Bloomsbury Conservation Area Advisory Committee have been fighting to save the Intrepid Fox – a historic rock music pub – from the bulldozers.

"Centre Point is now the focus of Crossrail, which will trigger an explosion in visitor numbers to this part of the West End," said Kathrin Hersel, development director for Almacantar.

"We will give a much needed new lease of life to the area and turn Centre Point into a destination Londoners can be proud of, and providing a lasting legacy. We are delighted that Camden Council, English Heritage, Transport for London and Crossrail Ltd have come together to forge a future for Centre Point and the surrounding area."

Since launching in 2010, Almacantar has also purchased several other central London properties, including Marble Arch Tower, CAA House and 125 Shaftesbury Avenue.

While construction is underway at Centre Point, the building will be wrapped in a patterned artwork by fashion and design studio Eley Kishimoto, which will take six months to erect and a further six months to take down. Work is expected to complete in 2017.

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/27/public-plaza-beneath-richard-seifert-centre-point-rick-mather-architects-conran-partners/feed/0Rick Mather 1937-2013http://www.dezeen.com/2013/04/22/rick-mather-1937-2013/
http://www.dezeen.com/2013/04/22/rick-mather-1937-2013/#commentsMon, 22 Apr 2013 11:41:41 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=311117News: American architect Rick Mather, whose projects included the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, UK, and the masterplan for London's Southbank, has died aged 75. Mather studied architecture at the University of Oregon before moving to the UK to study at the Architectural Association. He founded his studio Rick Mather Architects in London in 1973. Nominated for […]

His other award-winning work included the £20 million extension to the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, London, which won a Civic Trust Award after its completion in 1999, the same year he completed an extension to Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London and was appointed to masterplan the city's Southbank development.

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2013/04/22/rick-mather-1937-2013/feed/4Virginia Museum of Fine Arts expansion by Rick Matherhttp://www.dezeen.com/2010/05/10/virginia-museum-of-fine-arts-expansion-by-rick-mather/
http://www.dezeen.com/2010/05/10/virginia-museum-of-fine-arts-expansion-by-rick-mather/#commentsMon, 10 May 2010 16:55:34 +0000http://www.dezeen.com/?p=78544An extension to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by London architect Rick Mather has opened to the public in Richmond, Virginia, USA. The glass and limestone-clad extension centres around an atrium with five bridges connecting the five levels of the building. It includes an education centre, a library, a gift shop, conservation facilities, a […]

An extension to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by London architect Rick Mather has opened to the public in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

The glass and limestone-clad extension centres around an atrium with five bridges connecting the five levels of the building.

It includes an education centre, a library, a gift shop, conservation facilities, a lecture hall and cafe, alongside permanent and temporary exhibition spaces.

There is also a sculpture garden and a car park hidden beneath a hill.

Here's some more information from Rick Mather:

RICK MATHER ARCHITECTS’ VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS $150 MILLION EXPANSION OPENS TO THE PUBLIC

Rick Mather Architects’ $150m site wide masterplan and expansion of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia has opened to the public.

The new 15,330m2 (165,000 sq.ft) McGlothlin Wing opens VMFA up to the city and provides extensive new space for the museum’s collections and study centre. The museum reports that this expansion makes them one of the ten largest encyclopaedic museums in the United States and was described by the Director Alex Nyerges as "nothing short of spectacular."

The $7 million E. Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden combined with the Mary Morton Parsons Plaza act as a square onto the Boulevard, and under a hill at the end of the gardens a new 600 car parking deck completes the redevelopment of the thirteen and a half acre site campus which also includes three other historic buildings.

The five level limestone and glass entrance wing features two floors of permanent collection galleries, including American art from the James W and Frances G McGlothlin collection and the J Harwood and Louise B Cochrane Fund, the museum's twenty-first century collection, and one of the US's leading collections of art from India, Nepal and Tibet.

The new wing adds fifty percent additional exhibition space to the existing 35,300m2 (380,000 sq.ft) building. There is 139 m2 (1500sq.ft) of changing exhibition space for major touring exhibitions. The building also includes the Art Education centre, the Freeman library, a gift shop, state of the art object and painting conservation facilities, a 150 seat lecture hall, the ‘Best’ cafe with garden terrace and pool, and a restaurant overlooking the Sculpture Garden.

The focus of the expansion is the atrium space with its five bridges connecting across all floors of the building. Work in the original building include new and reconfigured existing galleries to house the internationally renowned Sydney and Frances Lewis Collections of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Modern and Contemporary American art, and the Museum's Ancient Art and Chinese Collections.

The design of the new building plaza and sculpture garden opens up the VMFA to the city. The VMFA's announces itself to Richmond with Barry Flanagan’s golden ‘bunny’ behind the atrium’s 12m (40ft) high window facing the Boulevard. Natural light floods into the heart of the museum and a wall of glass opens the atrium, cafe and restaurant onto the pools, fountain and sculpture garden.

The VMFA marks Rick Mather Architects first major commission in the United States. The project has been delivered in collaboration with SMBW Architects, a Richmond-based firm.

See also:

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2010/05/10/virginia-museum-of-fine-arts-expansion-by-rick-mather/feed/8Ashmolean Museum by Rick Mather Architectshttp://www.dezeen.com/2009/11/26/ashmolean-museum-by-rick-mather-architects/
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/11/26/ashmolean-museum-by-rick-mather-architects/#commentsThu, 26 Nov 2009 00:03:55 +0000http://www.dezeen.com/?p=52961Rick Mather Architects of London have completed an extension to the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology at Oxford University in the UK. Top image by Richard Bryant/arcaid The new building comprises six storeys, which hold display space, a new entrance, an education centre, conservation studios and a rooftop terrace. The project combines double- and […]

The Ashmolean Museum, established in 1683, is the oldest public museum in Britain. In 1999 Rick Mather Architects were appointed to develop a long term masterplan and expansion scheme to provide more space and 21st century facilities for its world renowned collections.

The new scheme involved the removal of the poor existing Victorian buildings behind the Cockerell building, originally built to house a rapidly growing collection, and later piecemeal accretions which combined to give a very confusing route for the museum visitor.

Above image by Richard Bryant/arcaid

The new building is attached to the rear of the Greek revival building by Charles Robert Cockerell, built in 1845 as The University Galleries. The Ashmolean Museum relocated its collection to the extended University Galleries in 1894 and in 1908 combined to become The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, under the keepership of the renowned archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans.

Above image by Richard Bryant/arcaid

Rick Mather Architects new building has six storeys, with a floor area of 10,000m² (107,640ft2), 4000m² (43,056ft2) of which provides 100 per cent more display space. In addition to the new display space, a new entrance from St Giles, an education centre, conservation studios and loading bay have also been created. The building is organised by two major axes established by Cockerell, creating a clear route throughout the building and unifying the entire museum and collection in a coherent manner.

Above image by Richard Bryant/arcaid

Two staircase lightwells are naturally lit, one by a large rooflight, the other with a 5.5 metre high window. Natural light is filtered vertically through the building to the lower ground level via inter-connecting, double-height galleries. A new grassed rooftop café terrace gives views over the 'dreaming spires' of Oxford.

Lower ground floor. Click for larger image

The new building has a low-energy philosophy throughout. At outline design stage the team agreed a maximum energy use per square metre that the design was assessed against at milestones throughout the project.

Ground Floor. Click for larger image

This ensured that any loss of efficiency in one area was mitigated by improving the efficiency of equipment elsewhere. The museum employs a low energy displacement ventilation system, with high-efficiency Menerga air handling units and heat-recovery.

Upper Ground Floor. Click for larger image

In order to optimise the ventilation system a 1:1 physical model of the gallery was built and tested in Finland. The lighting for secondary galleries operates on PIR motion sensors, shutting off when not required.

First Floor. Click for larger image

A load-shedding system monitors and controls electricity consumption. Three iterative rounds of computer daylight modelling were conducted to optimise window openings to achieve the best lighting and thermal performance.

Second Floor. Click for larger image

More than 22,000 people walked through the doors of the Ashmolean Museum on its first weekend of reopening to the public.